Joseph schneible



3 (No Model.)

J. SGHNEIBLEL v METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SAT'URATING GORKS- I No.599,7

Patented Mar. 1, 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SCHNEIBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SATU-RATING CORKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,798, dated March 1,1898.

Application filed December 11, 1896. Serial No. 615,273. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SCHNEIBLE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of New York, in the State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Treating Corks forBottling, 850., of which the following is aspecification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relatesto the treatment of corks preparatory to their usein closing the mouths of bottles and for other purposes.

It is well known that ordinary dry corks as they come from the cuttervare not easily inserted in the mouths of bottles when it is necessary tohave them fit very tightly within the bottle-mouths, and, moreover, thatsuch corks sometimes permit the passage through them of gas or air,especially when the bottles to which they are applied are kept in anupright position and the corks are not moistened by the liquid in thebottles. Up to the present time it has been sought to overcome thesedifficulties in various ways, as by steaming the corks, or by boilingthem, or soaking them in water or in other liquid; but these variousmethods leave much to be desired in the condition of the cork aftertreatment. The corks are softened and made pliable for the time being bythe application of heat, but the effectis quickly lost, the life of thecork is apt to be taken out by boiling, the corks quickly dry out inuse, and whatever substance is applied to the corks effects the surfaceonly and does not penetrate through the body of the cork I have soughtby my invention to provide for such treatment of corks as to make themmore pliable, to fill the pores, and to prevent drying out even if thebottles or other receptacles to which the corks are applied are allowedto stand upright.

In practicing my invention the corks are placed in a suitable vessel,together with a proper quantity of the material or substance with whichthe corks areto be treated, and a partial vacuum is produced therein.This causes the material, which is naturally of a fluid character, topenetrate the corks through and through, filling the pores thereof sothat the corks are saturated therewith. The material which I prefer toemploy for the treatment of the corks is glycerin, which renders thecorks sufficiently soft and pliable and preserves them indefinitely inthat condition, while it has no injurious efiect upon the liquids whichmay be contained in the bottles. It is desirable also. to mix with theglycerin or other liquid a small proportion of some suitable antiseptic,such as salicylic acid, to preserve the cork from mold, 850.

I have found that the most convenient and ment above referred to can becarried out with many different forms of apparatus and that so far asthe method is concerned the invention is not to be restricted to anyparticular form of apparatus; but in order to illustrate fully apractical application of my invention I have shown one form of apparatus well adapted for the practice of the method in the accompanyingdrawing, which represents such an apparatus partly in side elevation andpartly in longitudinal section.'

V In the apparatus shown in the drawing the tank A or vessel in whichthe corks are to be treated is supported by suitable standards B B andis preferably adapted to be rotated in bearings in said standard, thecentral shaft 0 by which the vessel is supported being provided withfast and loose pulleys D and D to receive a driving-belt. The shaft 0 istubular, is provided within the vessel A with several lateral openings0, and is adapted to be connected, through a'suitable stuffingbox 0,with a steam-pipe E, the latter having a suitable valve e to control theadmission of steam. A vacuum and pressure-gage 6 may be applied to thetubular shaft 0 or to the steam-pipe E. The vessel A is provided with ahand-hole and cover, as at F, 'so that the corks can be readilyintroduced and removed and the vessel itself tightly closed, and thereare also provided suitable means by which the glycerin or othersubstance can be introduced into the vessel at the proper time. For thispurpose I may conveniently employ an oil-cup G, which has a cover 9 anda stop-cock g in the stem by which it is connected to the vessel. Inproximity to the vessel A, preferably above the same, is supported awater pipe II, which is provided with a series of perforations h h,through which streams of water can be directed upon the vessel A, andwith a suitable valve 7b to control the supply of water.

In the use of the apparatus above described and in the practice of myinvention steam is first introduced into the drum or vessel A until thesame is thoroughly heated. lhen the corks are introduced, the cover ofthe handhole is replaced, and the drum or vessel is rotated until thecorks are well heated. Then the proper quantity of glycerin or othersubstances with which the cup G has been filled is admitted by turningthe stop-cock g, the steam-valve e is closed, and water is admittedthrough the pipe H, the drum or vessel being rotated meanwhile. Therapid cooling of the vessel and its contents and the consequentcondensation of the steam therein produces a partial vacuum withinthevessel, which causes the glycerin therein to penetrate the corksthrough and through. After the vessel and its contents have been cooleddown the partial vacuum is destroyed by opening the vent or cook a,which is provided for the purpose and for the further purpose ofdraining off the water of condensation, the cover of the hand-1101c ismoved, and the corks are withdrawn in condition for use.

Vith this apparatus corks can be treated rapidly in considerablequantities, and it is found that the corks treated are very soft andpliable, are thoroughly saturated with the glycerin or whatever materialmay be used for the purpose, and are easily inserted into the bottles.Glycerin is found to give very satisfactory results when employed as'the material with which the corks are to be saturated, especially ifits tendency to gather moisture and to mold is offset by the admixtureof a small proportion of some antiseptic, such as salicylic acid; but itwill be obvious that other substances may be employed, as well as thatthe method can be carried out independently of the apparatus hereinshown and described.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of preparing corks which consistsin heating the corks in a vessel, introducing glycerin into the vessel,closing the vessel, and cooling the vessel and its contents while theVessel is closed, whereby a partial vacuum is produced.

2. An apparatus for treating corks comprising a closed vessel having anopening through which the corks can be introduced and a cover therefor,means to rotate said vessel, a connection whereby steam can be suppliedto said vessel, a valve to control said connection, an independentclosed receptacle connected to said receptacle, a valve to control theconnection between said receptacle and said vessel, a vent-cock for saidvessel and means to cool said vessel.

3. An apparatus for treating corks comprising a drum and means to rotatethe same, said drum having an opening for the introduction of corks anda cover therefor, a connection whereby steam can be supplied to saiddrum, a valve to control said connection, and a perforated water-pipesupported in proximity to said vessel.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of December, A. D.1896.

J OSEPII SOIINEIBLE.

In presence of A. N. JESBERA, W. B. GREELEY.

